WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/32 
14 December 2005 
 (05-5970) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session 
Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:  French 
 
 
 
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 
 
Statement by HE Ms Emily Beatrice Epaye  
Minister for Commerce, Industr y, Small- and Medium-Sized  
Enterprises  
 
 
 Allow me first of all, on behalf of the Govern ment of the Central African Republic, to present 
my compliments to the Hong Kong, China authorities for the hospitality extended to the various delegations, and to the WTO Secretariat for the or ganization of this Sixth Ministerial Conference. 
 
 The Central African Republic is a land-locked country situated in the heart of the African 
continent.  It is one of the least developed coun tries and belongs to the group of African, Caribbean 
and Pacific (ACP) States, and today wishes to ex press deep concern over the following issues: 
 
(1) Agriculture  
 The Central African Republic is essentially agricultural and has therefore been closely 
following developments in the negotiations on agricult ure.  It hopes that these negotiations will lead 
to results that take into account the interests of the least developed countrie s upon which the survival 
of their populations depends. 
 
 With regard to the three pillars (domestic supp ort, subsidies and market access), the Central 
African Republic recommends: 
  - The phasing out or elimination of trade-distorting subsidies on agricultural products   including cotton; 
 
 - the setting of a reasonable date and a ppropriate modalities for the phasing out or 
elimination of such subsidies; 
 
 - the granting of a mandate by the developed countries to development partners for 
financial and technical support in the formulation of a long-term programme in 
favour of least developed countries; 
  - the cancellation, by developed countries, of debt owed by the least developed 
countries; 
 
 - reduction of the tariff escalation applied to the processing of agricultural products 
 including cotton; 
  - the establishment of a Special Safegua rd Mechanism adapted to the needs and 
 circumstances of leas t developed countries; 
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(2) Cotton   The Central African Republic expresses its de ep concern about what the outcome to this 
important issue will be.  A communication on this subject has been sent to the WTO Secretariat. 
 
(3) TRIPS and Public Health 
 
 As a country that lacks the capacity to make  effective use of compulsory licensing, the 
Central African Republic is very concerned by the sl ow rate of progress in the search for a solution 
through TRIPS that would enable countries with in sufficient or no capacity to gain access to 
medicines. 
 
 We wish to note that because of the high pr evalence rate of HIV/AIDS and the increase in 
tuberculosis, malaria and other pandemics that have a negative impact on its socio-economic 
development, the Central African Re public strongly recommends that: 
 
 - Developed countries should offer incentive s to their institutions and enterprises to 
 promote and encourage the transfer of tech nology to the least developed countries in 
 accordance with Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement; 
  - developed countries should offer preferentia l tariffs for the importation of medicines, 
 thereby easing the public health proble ms experienced by the Central African 
 Republic. 
 
(4) Services  
 
 My country is committed to the progressive liberalization of services as a tool for the 
promotion of economic growth and development.  To that end, we reserve the right to undertake 
additional commitments. 
 
 The Central African Republic therefore recommends: 
 
 - The establishment of special and differ ential treatment modalitie s in the negotiations 
 on trade in services in order to ensure  maximum flexibility for the least developed 
 countries; 
 
 - the requirement for shared commitments of developed countries with respect to 
 Mode 4 (mobility of service providers); 
 
 - the need for Members to ensure that the GATS architecture is preserved. 
 
(5) Trade Facilitation 
 
 As a land-locked country, the Central Africa n Republic attaches great importance to the 
potential advantages to be de rived from the implementation of  trade facilitation measures. 
 
 Accordingly, it strongly recommends that special and differential treatment should be granted in full to the least developed countries and that international cooperation should be strengthened through the provision of sufficient and effective technical assistance to evaluate the costs of 
adjustment. 
  WT/MIN(05)/ST/32 
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 (6) Special and Differential Treatment 
 
 The Central African Republic re affirms the urgent need to grant least developed countries 
flexibility and political leeway, market access, more  balanced rules and increased, targeted and 
durable technical assistance. 
 
(7) Technical Assistance 
 
 In view of the positive impact of the Jo int Integrated Technical Assistance Programme 
(JITAP), the Central African Republic recommends that development partners should significantly 
increase their contributions so as to extend them to other needy countries.  
 I cannot conclude without launching a fervent appeal to the developed countries for greater 
flexibility so that  positive results can be achie ved for the well-being of our respective populations. 
 
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